Caps for fuel tanks



Dec. 22, N ED A CAPS FOR FUEL TANKS Filed June 12, 1957 INVENTOR. 7 2ml Rama-11, BY

ilnited States Patent @fiice 2,918,192 Patented Dec. 252, 1959 CAPS FOR FUEL TANKS Noel Dedman, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Bernardin Bottle Cap Company, Inc., Evansville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application June 12, 1957, Serial No. 665,155

1 Claim. (Cl. 220*44) The invention relates to caps or closures for the filler necks of fuel tanks on vehicles, particularly such vehicles as power lawn mowers, garden tractors and "the like which are subject to considerable gasoline turbulence due to an uneven terrain and repeated changes in the direction of motion.

The objects of the invention are to provide a cap which: prevents splash of fuel, such as gasoline, from the tank during the operation of the vehicle; retains pressure in the tank substantially in equilibrium with the outside air; includes a pocket for trapping any fuel or condensate of vapor therefrom and directing it back into the tank; is simple in construction; and is eflicient in operation.

Other objects will appear from the detail description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section of the cap exemplifying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a floating baflle member employed in connection with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of a disk member employed in connection with the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a receptacle employed in connection with the present invention.

The invention is exemplified in a gasoline cap which includes a cover or closure 6 with a depending integral skirt 7 provided with a screw-thread 8 adapted to be detachably connected to the screw-threaded filler neck 9 on a fuel tank 10.

The margins of a circular disk 11 which is formed of sheet metal, an underlying flange 13 of an insert element, generally designated 12, and a sealing gasket are clamped between the margin of the top of cover 6 and the rim of filler neck 9 to seal the cover on the tank. Cover 6 has a central upward offset 14 which with the disk 11 forms a pocket 15 between said cover and disk. A vent-hole 16 is formed in the center of olfset 14 for the escape of pressure from pocket 15 to the outside of the cap. The central portion of disk 11 is indented to form a drain sump having side-walls 18 and a downwardly sloping bottom 19 extending from the face of disk 11 to the lower end of vertical end-wall which is ruptured to provide a small opening as at 21. This indent forms a narrow restricted channel or well in the bottom of disk 11 and at the bottom of pocket 15 for draining liquid fuel or condensate of its vapor from pocket 15.

An insert element or receptacle 12 formed of suitable plastic material, such as butyrate, comprises an annular flange 13 which is detachably clamped between the rim 9 of the inlet on the fuel tank and has a depending integral receptacle well portion which forms a chamber 28 and which is provided with a cylindrical wall 24, a depressed bottom 26 and an annular horizontal shoulder 25 between the lower end of wall 24 and bottom 26.

The upper open end of chamber 28 is covered by disk 11 and communicates with the rupture 21 in said disk. A narrow slot 27 at one side and the upper end of chamber 28 and a duct 29 in the bottom 26 of chamber 28 permit circulation of singing fluid through slot 27, chamber 28 and duct 29, between different portions of the tank. Insert member 12 obstructs the flow of fuel into pocket 15 and vent 16.

A baffle, generally designated 30, formed of suitable plastic material, such as butyrate, is loosely retained in chamber 28 and depending receptacle of insert member 12. Baffle 30 is generally of spool-shaped design and comprises a vertical series of disks 31 spaced apart by portions of an integral stem 32. The peripheries of disks 31 'of the vertical series are provided with notches 34 at diametrically opposite or staggered points to retard the flow of fluid through chamber 28. The bafile rests on a series of three point abutments 33 on shoulder 25 and fits loosely in chamber 28. Normally the level of fuel in the tank will remain below the level of the receptacle 12 and no problem of direct leakage of fuel through the vent-hole 16 will arise as long as the fuel tank 10 remains erect without appreciable acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle with which it is associated. However, as in the case of a portable lawn mower or the like which may encounter rough terrain, the fuel in the tank 10 may be subject to high turbulence or internal splashing within the tank. In such instances, at the upper surface of the fuel, there may be created a condition of frothing and any such froth as may enter the receptacle 12 will be inhibited by the presence of the baflle 30 which will have a tendency to ride upon the turbulent liquid in the receptacle and calm the same, so to speak, by a smothering action which dissipates the froth and allows the liquid to return to the lower regions of the tank through the duct 29 under the influence of gravity.

In operation of the vehicle on which the tank is mounted, the surging fuel will operate the batfle in the manner indicated above to permit the fuel to circulate through the chamber 28 in lieu of increasing the pressure in the tank and thus keep the pressure in the tank substantially in equilibrium with the air pressure outside of the tank. Fluid reaching pocket 15 through rupture 21 will be insufficient to cause any splash from vent 16. Any liquid or condensate of vapor reaching pocket 15 will be trapped therein and drain back into the chamber 28.

The invention is not to be restricted to the particular details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an anti-splash venting closure for the circular filler neck opening of a fuel tank for a gasoline powered mower or the like, in combination, an outside cover adapted to seat on said filler neck and substantially close the neck opening and including an outer circular closure wall adapted to span said opening, said cover having a peripheral depending flange adapted to encompass the filler neck rim, an inner circular disk substantially radially coextensive with said outer wall and in face-to-face contact therewith in the peripheral regions thereof, the medial regions of said wall and disk being offset axially from each other and defining therebetween a constant volume vapor and condensate pocket, there being a small hole in said outer wall for establishing communication between the atmosphere and the interior of said pocket,

well portion formed in the central regions thereof and depending from the inner periphery of said annular flange, said well portion including a cylindrical wall, the lower rim of which is provided with an inturned annular ledge presenting an internal upwardly facing shoulder ,from which there depends an inverted frusto-conical well bottom, said well portion being adapted to extend through said filler neck and depend into the fuel tank proper, there being a small unobstructed drain opening inthe bottom of said well portion for establishing communication between the interior of the well portion and the fuel tank proper, there being a small unobstructed opening in the wall of said cylindrical well portion adjacent the upper end thereof,vthere being a small drain opening in said disk establishing communication between the interior of said pocket and the interior of said well portion, and an anti-surge baflle member loosely and movably disposed in said well portion and completely encompassed thereby, said baflle member being in the form of a spoolshaped body including a central stem portion from which there projects outwardly a series of radial flanges axially spaced from one another and around the periphery of which surging fuel is adapted to flow, and a series of raised abutments on said upwardly facing shoulder on which the lowermost radial flange of said spool-shaped body normally rests, the axial extent of said body being less than the height of said well portion whereby said bafile member may be raised from its position of rest on said abutments due to the up-rush of fuel in said well portion when fuel turbulence is created within the fuel tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,145,739 Shaw Jan. 31, 1939 2,157,635 Shaw May 9, 1939 2,396,233 Abrams Mar. 12, 1946 2,399,384 Pross Apr. 30, 1946 2,504,072 Friend et al Apr. 11, 1950 2,739,731 Hautzenroeder et al Mar. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 892,558 Germany Oct. s, 1953 921,915 Germany Dec. 30, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES German application No. R 12,649, May 3, 1956. 

